The Minnesota Twins are officially playing for October, making it crystal clear they’re buyers at the trade deadline and keeping ace Joe Ryan on the roster. Forget all that speculation. Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden dropped the bomb: Ryan ain’t going anywhere, and the Twins are hunting for bullpen help. This ain’t no rebuild, folks, it’s a full-on charge for the Wild Card.
Joe Ryan Stays Put as Twins Push for Postseason
This is a massive signal from the front office. Ryan, who’s been enjoying a good season and was definitely a hot name in trade rumors, just signed a one-year, $6.2 million deal to avoid arbitration, with a $13 million mutual option next year and a $100K buyout. That kind of commitment, coupled with the “buyer” status, tells you everything you need to know about the Twins’ mindset. Why are they so aggressive? They’re only one game behind the Cleveland Guardians for that final AL Wild Card spot! They’re not just hoping for a shot; they’re actively trying to grab it. Getting bullpen help is their top priority, which makes total sense when you’re this close to the dance. You gotta close out those tight games.
Arm Fatigue? Talk About a Gut Punch
Just as the Twins committed to Ryan and their playoff push, we got a bit of a scare. Ryan was supposed to start against the Athletics on Sunday, but his start got pushed back to the Kansas City Royals series, kicking off Tuesday. Why the delay? Manager Derek Shelton explained it: “He just had some general arm fatigue.” Oof. That’s never what you want to hear about your ace, especially right after he allowed a career-high six home runs in a brutal 13-4 loss to the Guardians on Monday. Shelton, along with pitching coach Pete Maki and head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta, made the call to “just move this back and get him back on track.” Ryan did throw a bullpen session on Saturday, and how he recovers on Sunday will lock in his start date for the Royals series. Talk about high stakes right now, huh?
This week is huge. The Twins are all-in, and they need Ryan back healthy and firing to make a serious run at their potential October future. Keep an eye on that Royals series, because what happens with Ryan’s arm could define their season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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